I'm always a little shocked -- and frankly pissed -- when I use Xbox Live, Microsoft's online gaming service. Whenever I hear a US person, they're calling somebody a fag, and such. That's pretty alien to me, and I do wonder how ingrained that is in American high school culture and attitute.

I'm sorry to say it was so part of it when I was a teenager, that people didn't think of it. Is it a case of the slang differing, or are homophobic slurs not used by UK teens, Kevin? I know I've read plenty of homophobic slang phrases in UK English.

Somervllle has a Tree Warden, at least that's how the notice is signed, that is posted on the dead tree that's going to be cut down on my street. I suppose it's a more accurate title than Tree Wrangler.

I haven't seen that ad, Jesse.

ita, I know you don't get up to this end of town much, but they have the Eureka billboard on the corner of Sunset and Laurel (facing West). Sadly, the light was green or I would've taken a picture.

Oh yeah -- I meant to comment on that non-answer from ita. IS there a twin? A robot twin? A space-time continuum shift twin??

Thanks, y'all. I had to run out to go rescue some cats (from the vet) and my friend C (from a meltdown). She spent today everything she owns at a laundry mat, while the cats were hanging at the vets and the exterminator was in her apartment. She has bed bugs.

I don't know if you know anything about them, but Jesus. Here's a Times article that gives you an idea. [link]

Frankly, I'd be burning all my stuff and moving. As it was, all I could do was jump in for cat care ( and they close at two! And nothing will be fully dry! Which means I'll have to come back here again tomorrow, and if I bring these things back I might bring the bed bugs back and...!) It was not pretty. She's about as mellow as I am, more even.

So I went and picked up two large duffle bags full of cat, cabbed it over to her place, then dragged her out for drinks near my new place. (Did you catch that? My New Place!) And lo, it was good.

Better pics when I get access again. It's really cute.

Bed bugs scare me. Lots.

I feel like when I was younger, no one used "gay" as a perjorative at all. It was all "retarded". Now the kids are all "that's so gay".

Congrats on new place!

Bed bugs can feed off cats, but don't usually stay on them for any length of time. They're absolute bastards to get rid of, because they can live without food for up to 18 months. Months!

I had an outbreak of cat flees at my last place which happened completely out of blue (my cats don't go outside ever) -- I think one must have attached to me on the bus to get in. That freaked me the fuck out.

There were a few girls who were out at my high school, starting around eighth or ninth grade. One boy senior year, but no other boys who talked about it. I remember big scandal the year I was in ninth grade, when the eighth graders came back from their several-day field trip with the gossip that two of the girls in the class had been seen kissing each other.

I am super glad to have never dealt with beg bugs. (Yet. Knock on wood. Etc.) I was just reading about some development in my neighborhood, and one of the things people were saying against it is the number of mattresses that are always outside on trash day. YIKES.

I understand (well, C understands) that as long as there are tasty tasty humans around, bed bugs can't be bothered with the cats. So, um, that's good. Meanwhile C looks like she's been on Survivor. Horrid red bites all over.